WALNUT – Cameron Deen is getting quite the education at South Hills High School, and not just in the usual subjects. He’s the Valley’s best pure quarterback for a reason.

The 6-foot-4 senior dissected Walnut’s defense Friday night, throwing for 233 yards and three touchdowns and running for two more scores to lead the visiting Huskies to a 41-17 San Antonio League romp that was over, for all intents and purposes, seconds into the second half.

Deen completed 18 of 25 passes, almost all of them to receivers unburdened by coverage.

But don’t blame Walnut’s secondary.

“These are kids, and this guy, we’re giving him checks and reads. I mean, legitimate (checks and reads),” South Hills coach Steve Bogan said. “This guy did checks at the line, found coverages, switched routes and hit guys (with his passes).

“That’s fun to see in high school.”

The Mustangs may beg to differ.

Deen effectively dismantled their defense in guiding South Hills (7-1 overall, 2-0 San Antonio League) to touchdowns on five successive possessions en route to a 34-0 advantage midway through the third quarter.

Walnut (5-3, 1-2) by then had amassed just 61 yards, 28 of them on one Leonard Rhodes carry, and four first downs, half of them on penalties. There was no room to run, and quarterback Thomas Peralta spent most of each play scrambling away from pressure.

Alex Barrios led South Hills’ inspired defensive line, and strong safety Rueben Townes came up big when the Mustangs found holes in the secondary.

“Their quarterback did a great job moving around and giving everything he had,” Bogan said, “but we just had people coming from all over the place.”

The Huskies drove to Walnut’s 19 before turning the ball over on downs on their first possession, and then it was all Deen. His 9-yard run capped a 47-yard drive at the end of the first quarter, and he then directed two quick drives to make it 20-0 at halftime on scoring passes to Andrew Roddy and Miles Bevel.

It was 27-0 just three plays into the second half, with Deen connecting with Geoffrey Vaughns after Jordan Gutierrez’s 39-yard run. Deen’s 1-yard run finished another quick drive and it was 34-0.

Walnut finally found its offense after bringing Austin Cooper in for Peralta. Cooper completed 16- and 32-yard throws to Nathan Lee to set up Jose Mendoza’s 40-yard field goal, and the Mustangs scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Both were by Rhodes, one following Chima Ike’s blocked punt.

South Hills, without linebacker Wayne Goss, who suffered a broken ankle last week, lost another linebacker in the second quarter when Chris Bowden sustained ankle and knee injuries.

“We’re playing right now with one starting linebacker to start the year,” Bogan said. “Bowden just rocks and makes plays. We’re going to miss him.”

But the key to South Hills is Deen.

“Last year we controlled him more, (but) you don’t get better spinning on the bunny hills,” Bogan said. “You got to get up on the runs and go for it a little bit, and when you do, you’re going to fall down. And that’s how you get better, by experience. And he’s just getting better.”

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